French Onion Chicken and Bacon Pasta Bake

Nutrition per serve

Ingredients

• 1pcs onion
• 300g chicken thigh fillets
• 200g penne pasta
• 150g peas
• 1pcs diced bacon
• 10g country seasoning
• 50g shredded cheese mix
• 23ml olive oil
• 10ml sugar
• 15ml plain flour
• 60ml (¼ cup) milk

Method

1. Step 1 — Prep ingredients
   Preheat the oven to 220C, fan-forced. Lightly grease a 1.5L (6 cup) baking dish. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to the boil for the pasta. Thinly slice the onion. Thinly slice the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
2. Step 2 — Cook pasta and peas
   Cook the pasta in the pan of boiling water for 8 mins. Add the peas and cook for a further 2 mins or until the pasta is just al dente (see Kitchen 101) and the peas are tender. Drain.
3. Step 3 — Cook bacon and onion
   Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a medium deep frypan over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon, stirring, for 4-5 mins until crisp. Remove from pan. Heat 3 tsp olive oil in the pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring, for 5 mins or until soft. Add 2 tsp sugar, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, for 3-4 mins until caramelised. Remove from pan and wipe the pan clean.
4. Step 4 — Cook chicken
   Heat 2 tsp olive oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken, stirring, for 3 mins or until browned. Add the country seasoning and 1 tbs plain flour and cook, stirring, for 1 min or until golden. Stir in 60ml (¼ cup) milk and 125ml (½ cup) water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 mins or until slightly thickened.
5. Step 5 — Bake and serve up
   Add the pasta and peas, bacon and caramelised onion to the chicken mixture and stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta mixture to the baking dish and scatter over the cheese. Bake for 10 mins or until golden. Divide the pasta bake among bowls and enjoy!
6. Step 6 — Kitchen 101
   To avoid overcooked baked pasta, the pasta is slightly undercooked at this stage – it will finish cooking in the hot sauce when baked in the oven.

Allergens

Gluten, Wheat, Milch, Sulfit